Artist Opportunities
Find your next artistic endeavor! Submit a mural proposal or browse calls for art.
Organizations may submit a call for art to be listed on this page. To be featured, please send us an email with pertinent information including name of opportunity, important dates, image, and website with more details.
PROPOSE AN EXHIBITION
The Arts Council of Princeton’s Paul Robeson Center serves as a key resource for contemporary art in central New Jersey. Through thought-provoking exhibitions and related public programs, the Arts Council presents artwork with a broad range of aesthetic, social, cultural, and political themes.
The window for 2027 proposals has closed. The portal to submit 2028 shows will reopen in July 2026.
Vendor opportunities
The following opportunities are hosted by the Arts Council of Princeton and held in and around our parking lot at 102 Witherspoon Street.
Mindfulness Market @ Princeton Yoga Fest
Sunday, June 28 | 11am-4pm
Princeton Yoga Fest brings together people of all ages and backgrounds to experience the unifying power of yoga. Vendors working in self-care, beauty, wellness, accessories, and food and beverage must apply by Thursday, May 14.
yART sale 2026
Saturday, August 1 | 9am-1pm
Clear out your studio and make room for fresh ideas! Vendors working in ceramics, jewelry, printmaking, painting, and more, 30+ vendors will sell seconds, misprints, discontinued designs, and one-of-a-kind items at studio clean-out prices! Vendors must apply by Thursday, June 8.
Live for Today, Leon Rainbow
PROPOSE A SPRING STREET MURAL
The Arts Council of Princeton (ACP) is looking to collaborate with local and regional artists for our Spring Street temporary mural location. Our community-driven mural-making process supports the Arts Council’s mission of building community through the arts, and is open to everyone.
Spring Street murals are generally on view for 3-4 months. A stipend of $500 is provided for selected artists and some materials are provided by the ACP. The mural space, which is mounted MDF attached to the wall of the building, measures 32×8 feet.
Please submit your interest below. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis; ACP staff will be in touch if your proposal is to move forward.
Questions? Please email Melissa Kuscin.
Area Opportunities
Plein air paint out: Princeton battlefield
Calling all artists — leave the four walls of the studio behind and experience the freedom of making art in a powerfully expansive setting. This plein-air painting opportunity is presented by the Arts Council in partnership with the Princeton Battlefield Society.
During this special Paint Out held in celebration of the 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding, we invite artists of all skill levels to capture the grounds of the Princeton Battlefield State Park on their canvas.
Just minutes from downtown Princeton, this historic battlefield allows you to walk in the footsteps of Washington, Alexander Hamilton, and General Hugh Mercer, and explore the legacy of the Battle of Princeton. The artist with the piece deemed Best in Show will be awarded a solo exhibition in the Arts Council’s Siegal Gallery. First runner up will receive a cash prize of $100, and second runner up will be awarded $50.
How it works:
- Interested artists should use this link to sign up for the Paint Out. A $25 registration fee supports our work to produce creative community programming.
- Artists are responsible for providing all set-up and supplies needed to create their piece.
- Artists will work from 9am to 4pm before displaying their work in an open-air exhibition, free and open to the public. Invite your friends and family to enjoy strolling from easel to easel.
- Works may be available for sale. ACP will receive a 25% commission from any artwork sold.
- Participants should dress comfortably and, if necessary, plan for weather by bringing sunscreen, sun hats, etc. Bring plenty of water and snacks, if desired.
- In the event of rain, the Paint Out will be canceled. Please stay tuned to the email you used to register for any important messages from the organizers.
The Princeton Battlefield State Park is located at 500 Mercer Street, Princeton, NJ.
Questions? Shoot us a message.
nice;04 open call - Midwest Nice Art
Midwest Nice Art is excited to share that our annual survey of contemporary art, nice;04, call for art is now open!
Nice;04 is our fourth annual open call, juried by Midwest Nice Art co-founders tim rickett + Epiphany Knedler. Each year the nice; exhibition serves as a survey of contemporary artists exploring complex personal and social narratives. as an open call without a theme, the resulting show is a reflection of the art world and recent events. we invite you to submit to nice;04.
This exhibition will be on view July through September at JFAC Gallery at the Johnson Fine Arts Center on the Northern State University campus in Aberdeen, South Dakota. The exhibition includes over $1000 in cash prizes. The awards will include a $300 First-Place Prize, a $200 Second-Place Prize, a $100 Third-Place Prize, and four $50 Honorable Mention Prizes, as well as additional community and purchase awards. This call is open to any mediums to any artists located within the United States over 18 years old (work is not limited to the Midwest/about the Midwest!).
To submit, please visit the link below. Entry is $20 for up to three works; students may submit for $10 with the code 2026STUDENT.
Submission Deadline: May 20, 2026.
For more information, please visit and apply here: https://www.midwestnice.art/opencalls/nice04
Questions? Please contact midwestniceart@gmail.com.
*FREE* International Call for Art - Rochester Contemporary Art Center
The Until Justice Just Is Student Competition is a call out to Central New Jersey youth designed to encourage high school students to reflect on the importance of racial justice in society and how we can contribute to making justice a reality. This year, participants are invited to submit an essay, video, or visual art piece that answers the following:
“As the United States marks its 250th anniversary, imagine you are tasked with rewriting the Declaration of Independence for today OR designing a monument to commemorate this moment. What truths about racial justice, equity, and inclusion must be included in a modern declaration of freedom? Who or what would your monument honor, and what would it look like to truly reflect the America we aspire to become?”
Students are encouraged to interpret the prompt creatively and personally, providing their unique perspectives on the current state of our country and how we protect and honor its citizens. Whether through powerful words, compelling images, or inspiring videos, this challenge gives students the opportunity to make their voices heard. All submission will be reviewed by YWCA Princeton staff; submission is not a guaranteed selection to participate. YWCA Princeton reserves the right to remove submissions from consideration if content is deemed inappropriate, harmful/offensive, or does not align with our mission. Upon selection, you will receive a parent waiver and media release form to be completed. Contact Darlene Nawuridam, Equity and Outreach Coordinator, with any questions at dnawuridam@ywcaprinceton.org or 609-497-2100 x 385. Good luck!
Point Pleasant Publishing: Artist Feature Catalogue
Quality Writing:
Besides the prestige of being published amongst some of the finest established artists in the world and gaining recognition with notable galleries and institutions, the main reason artists apply is because of the quality of our writing. Point Pleasant critical essays discuss the accomplishments, interpretations, process, and unique attributes by individual artists featured in the catalogue. The writing by Point Pleasant Publishing is 100% human-created content, absolutely no artificial intelligence used.
Eligibility Criteria:
Point Pleasant Publishing accepts experimental and alternative forms of visual art including photography, performance, video, film, installation, assemblage, collage, fiber, printmaking, light design, jewelry, fashion, & costume design, and analogue digital (no AI).
Artists are selected based on a variety of factors including their accomplishments, originality, conceptual impact, overall cohesiveness of portfolio, and aesthetic qualities of the art.
We especially encourage alternative / experimental artists to apply.
Deadline: Rolling
THE ADOLPH & ESTHER GOTTLIEB EMERGENCY GRANT
The Adolph and Esther Gottlieb Emergency Grant program is intended to provide interim financial assistance to qualified painters, printmakers, and sculptors whose needs are the result of an unforeseen, catastrophic incident, and who lack the resources to meet that situation. Each grant is given as one-time assistance for a specific emergency, examples of which are fire, flood, or emergency medical need.
To be eligible for this program, an artist must be able to demonstrate a minimum involvement of ten years in a mature phase of his or her work. Artists must work in the disciplines of painting, sculpture or printmaking. Each application will be reviewed by the Directors, who will exercise their discretion in considering it, and will determine the amount of each award. Applicants should note there is a set amount appropriated for these grants each fiscal year; once this budgetary limit has been reached, the Foundation will not be able to judge any additional requests on their merits.
Deadline: Rolling
MID ATLANTIC ARTS FOUNDATION FELLOWSHIP PROGRAMS
Administered by Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation, state fellowship programs provide funding for individual artists residing in Delaware and New Jersey to encourage and sustain these artists’ pursuit of artistic excellence.
Individual NJ-based artists must apply following the process outlined in the guidelines for New Jersey. At the annual deadline for these programs, a limited number of disciplines are accepted. All applications to these competitive programs are evaluated through a peer panel review process.
DEADLINE: Vary upon opportunity